Whatever your reason might be for wanting to reformat the postseason or MLB in general, here are a few alternatives to the current system. We’ll start with some that could be incorporated into the league without dramatically altering the way the league is constructed. We’ll propose a few ideas for really blowing everything up later.
NLCS Game 5: Dodgers 11, Cubs 1
OSS: Well, it wasn't a sweep. Two up: At least this one was over quickly. Um…the pitching staff only issued two walks? Time to deal with my DVR/streaming backlog! Hannibal and Halt and Catch Fire, I'm looking at you. Three down: Quintana just didn't have it tonight, and the Dodgers made him pay. I look forward to his next few …
NLCS Game 4: Cubs 3, Dodgers 2
OSS: Three up: Javy Baez homered twice, and Willson Contreras hit the longest HR of the entire season across all MLB (assuming I heard the announcers right) to account for all of the Cubs runs, which was just enough to hold on. The Cubs even managed to put some balls in play! We were hoping for Vintage Jake, but we …
NLCS Game Three: Dodgers 6, Cubs 1
OSS: Cubs lose in all aspects of the game. Three up: Kyle Schwarber got the scoring started with an opposite field solo HR against Darvish in the first inning. Unfortunately, that is also when the scoring stopped. Kris Bryant had two hits and didn't strike out for what seems like the first time in the last month. We didn't have …
NLCS Game 2: Dodgers 4, Cubs 1
OSS: Showalter'd. Three up: Addison Russell struck the only major Cubs blow in this one with a line drive homer to left that briefly gave the Cubs the lead. The bullpen proper performed much better in this one, especially Carl Edwards Jr. Foolish bottom of the ninth decisions aside, Edwards, Strop, and Duensing combined for four innings, allowing just one …
NLCS Game One: Dodgers 5, Cubs 2
OSS: Well, at least it's a slightly longer series. Three up: Albert Almora was the only Cubs player with a positive WPA on the day, thanks to a two run homer off of Kershaw in the fourth inning to give the Cubs a lead. They didn't end up with much to show for it, but Bryzzo were squaring up Kershaw …
NLCS Series Preview: Chicago Cubs (92-70) vs Los Angeles Dodgers of Los Angeles (104-58)
It's the third NLCS in a row for the Cubs, and a rematch of last year's showdown. It's hard to believe that the Dodgers won more games than last year's Cubs team, despite that 1 for 21 stretch or whatever it was earlier this year. This team is pretty fucking good. The Cubs find themselves in pretty much the same …
NLDS Game 5: Cubs 9, Nationals 8
OSS: That was the craziest Cubs’ winner-take-all clincher I have seen since the last time they had a winner-take-all clincher.* Three up: On a night of shaky pitching performances all around, Wade Davis somehow put together a seven out save to send the Cubs to the NLCS. He didn't have his best stuff, but he brought it for the final …
NLDS Game 3: Cubs 2, Nationals 1
OSS: Cubs win despite getting no hit for most of the game again. Three+ up: Anthony Rizzo had the biggest hit of the game, a bloop single to left that managed to find the hole between three defenders to drive in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning. It more than made up for the double play he hit into …
NLDS Game 1: Cubs 3, Nationals 0
OSS: Cyle pitches a gem and Bryzzo get just enough off of Strasburg to put the Cubs up 1-0 on the Nats. Three up: Kyle Hendricks showed why Joe had enough faith in him to make him the game one starter, pitching seven shutout innings with six strikeouts, two walks, and three hits allowed. The only vaguely threatening moment that …